I fail to see how the following code from the book is an example of a singleton:
01 var mySingleton = function(){
02
03 /* here are my private variables and methods /
04 var privateVariable = 'something private';
05 function showPrivate(){
06 console.log(privateVariable);
07 }
08
09 / public variables and methods (which can access private variables and methods ) */
10 return {
11 publicMethod:function(){
12 showPrivate();
13 },
14 publicVar:'the public can see this!'
15 }
16 }
17
18 var single = mySingleton();
Also, the code is missing semicolons. Missing semicolons is a problem when minifying the code. I would recommend running your example code through JS lint for the next edition of the book.
Still, I've been looking to improve my JS foo and reading through this book may help. I will continue. It is attractively formatted and addresses topics that I want to know more about.
Mihi cordi est legere de lingua Latina temporibus recentibus reanimata. O tempora, o mores, quibus litterae antiquae flocci aestimantur! Qui sese ad pecuniam adipiscendam vehementer pellunt nullo intervallo excepto, cum ad summam divitiarum demum adveniant, bene vivere non sciunt. Ut ait noster Lucius in Epistulis Moralibus: "Otium sine litteris mors est et hominis vivi sepultura."
The biggest shock for me was how little 'cutting earmarks' actually accomplishes, at merely $14 billion. I'm shocked because of how much political hot air is exhaled on it.
Except for some of the details, this is my story too -- had coded at an earlier stage in life, but gotten away from it, then returned in mid 30s.
As advancement in my first career began to look more and more remote, I had found myself wishing I had become a computer programmer, and was frustrated that changing course was so hard. One day about two years ago I decided that if I wanted to become a programmer, then I should start programming. If I didn't keep up with the programming, then ipso facto I didn't want to be a programmer.
Two years on, with a few college classes under my belt (basically useful, but probably dispensable), and a couple of side projects in various states of disrepair, I've got an low level coding internship with a very supportive employer.
I'm hardly brilliant programmer, but my employer hasn't kicked me out the door yet. The corporate environment is, at best, ok, and I would probably prefer not to have a job at all, but I am learning a lot. As far as jobs go, I can't imagine a better one than the one I've got. I expect that what I'm learning will open doors in the future, and the despair that clouded my first career is replaced by a sense of (I hate buzzwords, but here one comes) empowerment.
Most importantly, I really enjoy tooling around with my (two) side projects. Having fun problems to work on is the best.
"Gold lies on the streets and you just need to dig it up with ideas. Ideas are like the shovel," he says.